


Facade

by introverted_kitten



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Angst, Danny doubts his humanity, Danny’s been lied to, Identity Reveal, It all goes to shit, Plot Twist, Trust Issues, everything's a mess basically, portal accident, theres too many secrets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26820250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/introverted_kitten/pseuds/introverted_kitten
Summary: He’s half-ghost.. right?Half-human and half-ghost. There still a part of Danny that is human, he’s sure. He’s certain.So why is he getting more and more ghostly each day? And why does a pale figure with toxic eyes glare back at him in the mirror?A facade. That’s what.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	1. Prologue

His heart doesn’t beat. His pulse doesn’t flutter, feeble small movements with the delicacy of a butterflies wing.

There is nothing. 

He is still.

His skin is pale, too pale. Whitewashed milky flesh that gleans under crisp pallid light. The lights glare, they glare. Lightning bolts smoulder across his chest, cracked viridescent, a scar of a horrific casualty that happened barely hours ago. 

Hair is hung over his brows, hindering sight to his eyes. They are claggy and vacuous, inanimate. Bangs of hair lay like tattered ravens feathers, torn and singed into small black branches. Measly mottles of sallow white sprinkle his hair, although this is unnoticed by any medical staff. Unperceived, is also his eyes. Once a smoky soft blue of a stormy day, they have failed to see the alteration. Now, they are a wild green, pulsating poisonously with vitality, so alive.

Yet so _dead_.

* * *

  
Danny can remember the accident, with haste, he must add. Everything that day was tense. Something felt, amiss. When he sauntered in the portal, white HAZMAT suit wrapped around him protectively. 

As if it gave him much protection. He’d stared down the back of the portal, the faint blue lines of electronics and circuits, no idea what their function was. His left hand splayed out, looking for any sight in the darkness and blue patterns.

Then, something.

Small, square. Fuse box? 

_No_.

On button. 

**_FLASH_**.


	2. Chapter 1: His World Turns Green

He flies overhead, watching as the cities dusk dims down. This is nice. Free. 

The wind ripples and prances in joy, ruffling his hair in a jovial fashion. Hands splayed outward into fists, ghostly tail streaming behind in a cat-like fashion. Green eyes scan the city for any danger.

See, this is what Danny was now. Half a ghost.

A small black and violet speck speeds after him on the road, wearing a helmet and a fluffy spider backpack. Her eyes are hesitant, yet they gambol with delight to see her friend so happy. He has a purpose.

Gone are the days, where he was considered a scrawny nerd, wimpy and cowardly. Now stood—or hovered— a spectral hero. Brave, mischievous and strong. A tint slightly adorned her face at the thought. 

Seeing no danger, or no more ghosts to fight, Danny leaps downwards, feet bounding on the pavement as he lands. Sam, one of his closest friends, scoots up to greet him.

Danny has a grin on his face. Flying is his favourite. The vast, vibrant skies of clouds and starts.. it’s endless! He would expect Sam to have the same adrenaline rush after patrol, she always gets a joy of fighting ghosts. But to his surprise, her face is downcast.

Her eyes refuse to meet his. He is confused.

“What’s wrong?” He questions her, green eyes meeting his. Her eyes remain fixated, before she turns, rubbing an arm with her hand.

“It’s nothing Danny. Don’t worry about it.”

That make him, in turn, panic more. Hastening in fret, Danny wants to reach out. But how can he? 

This is normally the very advice he contradicts. Is he fine? No he’s not, but he wouldn’t ever let them know. Now it is happening to the very person who questions him of this.

“I will worry. This is usually the stuff you’re telling me- not the other way round!”

Her lips pucker in silent seconds as Danny turns his head down the street. No need for any onlookers to find out his divided identity.

Cautiously, he hovers above the path, shadow a black blob beneath his figure. Sam does nothing, simply watches with poignant lilac eyes.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing you need to know, not for a while anyway. Maybe.. maybe sometime. But not now. I don’t want to ruin this for you.”

Immensely confused, Danny pauses. Ruin what? Since the beginning of their friendship, they’d always had each others support. And now Sam was dismissing her own problems because she didn’t want to ruin,  whatever,  for him. 

“Ruin what?! Look Sam, you know you can come to me for anything, right? Don’t put your problems aside because you’re scared I might get angry. We’re best friends.”

A fizzling halo of light gathers at his waist, and divides. Seconds after, gone is anything ghostly. No remnants of Phantom. Just Fenton.

China blue eyes dart awkwardly, reverting to the accustomed personality that belongs with his human form. Shy, meek, timid. 

Phantom. Strong, mischievous, heroic.

His chest is pounding. Well- it would be if his heart still pulsed in his chest. Still, frozen.

That was fine. That was normal.

This- Sam acting this way- was not.

“I know Danny. But, I don’t feel you’re ready to know. One day. I’ll let you know.” Her black hair sways as she looks up, placing a hand on his cold shoulder.

Gently, he clasps it. Smiling timidly, he gives her a reassuring smile. Everything will be alright. He would wait. He understands, everyone has their secrets. Him most of all understands.

“Thank you.” Danny says, a genuine smile on his face. She smiles back.

For a second, it is as if his heart is flaring again, warmth embracing his body. It’s not love or affection. It’s trust.

He can trust her. One day, she’ll tell him, and maybe not right now- but that’s fine.

Sam doesn’t respond, simply blinks back, delicately pulling her hand back to her chest.

“Whatever it is, I promise I won’t hate you.”

Danny’s words are murmured, like a tiny birds song that speaks in the breeze, and he stands away from her. FentonWorks is just around the street. Although he is surprised that his parents didn’t arrive. Maybe they are out.

* * *

_ Running, he is running. His chest is heavy, shuddering breaths jars and tremors as his body convulses.  _

_ His hands and fingers are shaking, and they won’t stop. _

_ No control. Panting and gulping, needing air. _

_ But there is not enough. _

_ Lungs squawk and ache bitterly, eating and craving for a single breath of oxygen. Instead, pain burns inside, crackling like lightening.  _

_ How long will he last? He doesn’t know. _

_ There are flashes, and flashes above his head. Barely recognisable, they streak like lightning strikes, yet blurry and discernible.  _

_ Then _

_. _

_ Everything goes black. _

_ Voices. Sad. Tearful. _

_ What is happening? _

_ A sharp cry fills the air, wrecking and stained with grief. It’s familiar, but he doesn’t know who. There are other voices, cold and blank, no emotions. _

_ Gone. _

_ His memory is patchy. But he can remember, somewhat. _

_ He can remember- he feels himself, _

_ fall _

_. _

_ fall _

_. _

_ fall _

_. _

**_ BEEP _ **

_ Serrated alarms fill the air. And the cries are gone. Like a switch. _

_ They are still there, but more muffled. The voice high pitched, still raw from crying. But something different. _

Hope _. _

_ His world turns green. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter up and done! It’s shorter than what I’d like, but it’s alright. It’s my first time writing a fanfic in present tense, I usually write them in past so it was a little difficult at times.

**Author's Note:**

> New fanfic, because why not? Just a prologue to set the scene for the story, buckle up, this is gonna get angsty!
> 
> Comments and constructive criticism are appreciated!


End file.
